Connexionsbuses

Harrogate Coach Travel (trading under the name Connexionsbuses) operates local bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England.

Connexionsbuses
FoundedFebruary 2002 (2002-02)
HeadquartersTockwith, North Yorkshire
England
Service area
Service typeBus and coach
Fleet39 (at February 2016)
Managing DirectorCraig Temple
Websitewww.connexionsbuses.com

History

Harrogate Coach Travel was established in February 2002 by Craig and Julie Temple. Initially, the company operated local bus services between York and Ripon via Green Hammerton. The company later expanded, operating tendered services for both North Yorkshire County Council and West Yorkshire Metro.[1][2]

In March 2011, the company was rebranded as Connexionsbuses.[2]

In April 2011, route X70 was introduced between Harrogate and Wetherby and several local services in Harrogate under contract from North Yorkshire County Council.[3]

At the same time, the North Yorkshire contract to run buses between York and Ripon was lost, and Harrogate Coach Travel commenced operating joint services from York to Ripon and Wetherby in partnership with Eddie Brown Tours.[4][5]

Services

Connexionsbuses operate services to Harrogate, York, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Ilkley, Otley, Knaresborough and Wetherby. From August 2010, the company expanded more in the Ilkley and Otley areas of West Yorkshire, when they took over the Ilkley and Otley local services from First West Yorkshire and the 940 service to Holt Park from TLC Travel.[6] The company started more services in the Wetherby area in April 2011, linking the town to York. Late 2013 Connexionsbuses took over services 780 from Wetherby to Knaresborough and 923 from Otley to Tadcaster. Late April 2014, Connexionsbuses services 104/110/111/112 were replaced by X4 to Wedderburn X6 to Pannal Ash X6a to Harlow Carr and X12 to Duchy Road all from Harrogate. When Eddie Browns collapsed, Connexions stood in on the 142/143 service until 5 January. The service was then taken over by Transdev York, they also operated the 56/57 Harrogate-Ripon/Roecliffe service which was transferred to The Harrogate Bus Company. They also now operate the 16 Acomb – York and the 13 Copmanthorpe – York – Haxby.

In June 2016, the company took over operation of service 38 between Moortown and White Rose Centre on a commercial basis, after Yorkshire Tiger withdrew the service.[7] The service was withdrawn in September 2018 following competition from independent operator, SquarePeg, as well as the expected implementation of a low-emission zone in Leeds.[8][9]

In October 2018, the company commenced operation of route 64, which runs between Aberford and Leeds via Cross Gates, under contract to First Leeds. As of January 2022, the service operates half-hourly on weekdays and Saturday, with First Leeds operating an hourly service during the evening and on Sunday.[10]

Fleet

As of February 2016, the fleet comprised 39 buses.[4]

Wetherby Bus War

In 2011, the company became involved in a bus war with Transdev Harrogate & District.[lower-alpha 1] It concerned bus services operating in and around the market town of Wetherby.[11][12]

Preservation
A preserved Leyland National in the former South Yorkshire Transport livery.

Alongside service buses, the company also maintain a fleet of heritage vehicles. As of October 2019, this consists of nine vehicles manufactured between 1971 and 1999 – most of which originally operated in Yorkshire.[13]

Notes
  1. Transdev Harrogate & District has since been rebranded as The Harrogate Bus Company.

References
  1. "Fleet in Focus". Buses. No. 720. March 2015. p. 81.
  2. "Making Connexions". Coach & Bus Week. No. 1226. 2 February 2016. pp. 16–22.
  3. New service from Harrogate to York Connexionsbuses 5 March 2011
  4. Making Connexions Coach & Bus Week issue 1226 2 February 2016 pages 16-22
  5. 142/411/412/413 Timetable North Yorkshire Travel Info 30 April 2012
  6. "August Public Transport Changes" (PDF). Metro. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  7. "Connexions steps in". Routeone. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  8. "Clean air plans prompt Connexions to quit Leeds route". Buses. No. 764. November 2018. p. 7.
  9. "Leeds bus spotter hands true-to-life BUS CAKE to drivers to mark final day of 38 service". Yorkshire Post. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  10. Connexions to take over service 64 in Leeds Connexionsbuses 26 October 2018
  11. "Harrogate to Wetherby bus war breaks out". BBC News. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  12. "War erupts over bus service". Yorkshire Post. 9 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  13. "Historic Vehicles". Connexions Buses. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
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